


Still Takes My Breath Away

by Deh Queen (Chainlocker)



Series: I will make you believe you are lovely [2]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Fluff, Injury, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, dont worry, even though theyre literally dating, hunk is best bro, its mostly fluff tho, lance is still kind of pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-10
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-10-30 04:21:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10869009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chainlocker/pseuds/Deh%20Queen
Summary: It's been a few months since Lance and Keith started dating, but Hunk and Shiro still get no rest from their pining.  All associated agree that they need to talk about these things to each other, but so far...The boys are just too awkward for words.





	1. Why can't I leave it unsaid?

“Hunk I don’t know how to handle this,” Lance declared as he burst into his friend’s room.  It was just after lunch, a bit of a grace period before they got back to training with their lions.  Hunk was currently tinkering with some spare bits of tech, not really trying to do anything but keeping his hands busy.  He looked up as Lance entered and tilted his head, confused.

“Don’t know how to handle what, exactly?” He questioned carefully, honestly not knowing if Lance was being serious or not.

“ _Keith._  He’s just… too much.  Like,” the blue paladin whined, pausing for just a moment before flopping onto Hunk’s bed and pressing his face into the pillow that faintly smelled like machine grease and spices, the smell that Hunk himself carried with him.  “How is he so _perfect_?  At everything??”  His voice reached a shrill falsetto for a moment before he stopped talking, mind slightly melting at the thought of his boyfriend.

Hunk watched his friend with a soft smile, laughing quietly.  “Lance, you know full well he isn’t perfect.  You just like him enough that it kinda glosses over the less attractive stuff.”

“I _know_ , but I just… can’t stop.  All the stupid shit he does, he somehow makes it endearing!  It’s unfair!  Like that one time he got those stress fractures in his wrist from practicing way too much in the training room and when he came out of the pods he just seemed so sad.  I was gonna yell at him for being dumb but he looked like a kicked puppy and I just… couldn’t.  I am _weak,_ Hunk.  Weak!  For a mullet, no less!”  Lance was fully aware that he was rambling, mumbling into the pillow, but he couldn’t bring himself to stop as his mind brought situation after situation from his memories.  There was one night that kept coming up, full of movies and ending with Keith’s hair pressed up against his face as they cuddled…

Hunk, thankfully, cut him off before he could get too lost.  “You did still talk about that, right?  It’s not good for him to be training that much.  Everything in moderation.  I think everyone would kinda freak out if he ended up in the pods again.”

Lance turned his head to the side so that his voice wasn’t so muffled and waved a hand.  “Yeah, I made sure to.  Shiro probably did too.  But that isn’t the point!  I don’t know how to handle being his boyfriend cause he’s just so… pretty.  Like his hair looks like it’s a mess, and it kind of is, but he somehow keeps it so _soft_ , it’s unfair.  And his _eyes_ are so beautiful, they look like they’re a different color every day.  And his shirts are going to actually kill me someday, they’re so tight… like jesus, have you _seen_ how ripped he is?  He might be a skinny bastard but oh boy, those abs are something else.”

He turned onto his back and flailed his arms above him to accentuate his speaking.  “And god, when he smiles?  Or laughs?   _Both_?  He honestly might be the end of me.  God has sent him to strike me dead, he’s too good for me, this is where I end my journey.”

Hunk watched him with an amused smile, the tech he was messing with forgotten on the ground in front of him.  “Lance…”  He paused for a moment, deciding to have a little fun with his friend.  “Okay, but just think.  You know how Keith sometimes disappears to Shiro’s room like you disappear like mine…?”

“Yeah?  What about it?”  Lance moved his head so he could stare at Hunk, ending up slightly hanging off the bed with his head upside down.

“You do realize that he probably does what you do with me, just with Shiro, right?”  Hunk let that sink in before snickering quietly, watching Lance’s face adopt a nice shade of pink.  “You two are ridiculous, honestly.  Your pining has almost gotten worse since you got together.  Why do you come to me to talk about him, anyway?  Why not just tell him all of this stuff?”

Lance sat up, leaning back on the wall beside the bed and crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at his feet folded close to him.  “I dunno.  There just never seems to be a good time to say anything, and it’s like… it seems awkward, I guess?  Not that there’s anything awkward about telling your significant other how great they are, it just seems weird… for us.  You know?”

Hunk nodded thoughtfully, propping his elbow on his knee with his chin in his hand.  “Yeah, that makes sense.  Just don’t leave him hanging, dude.  Let him know what you think about him, alright?”

The blue paladin gave him a bashful smile and nodded.  “Yeah, yeah, I know.  I won’t.”

He nodded confidently at Lance and grinned, sitting up straight.  “Now, you want to join me?  I’m going to head down to the-”

Hunk was cut off as the alarms blared through the castle, signaling a Galra attack on the castle.  Together the two boys groaned and scrambled to their feet, sprinting down the halls towards where their armor was stored.

Lance reached the door a couple seconds before Hunk and stepped in, swiping his flight suit from its nook and changing as quickly as he could.  When he stepped out he saw Keith do the same, strapping on his chestplate and grabbing his bayard from where it sat.  He stopped and watched the red paladin finish up with his suit before Keith’s eyes flicked up to meet Lance’s.

And Keith smiled, strained but genuine.  Lance felt his heart flutter with something other than the normal pre-battle nerves and smiled back at him.

“Cmon sharpshooter, don’t be late!”  Keith’s voice snapped him out of it and he laughed, scooping up his bayard and rushing out towards his lion as the red paladin headed towards his own, in the opposite direction.

“Hey Keith, who do you think can destroy more fighter ships?”  Lance spoke into the comms once he got his helmet on.

“Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe…”

“You’re on.”


	2. You know I talk too much

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this actually took a lot longer to write... I haven't really read over it so if there's any errors please tell me >-<

It was a long battle, to say the least. Keith’s body ached from being tensed in the pilot seat of his lion for the three hours it took to clear the Galra out. The only reason they had lasted so long was because of the large asteroid field they had made their way to, hiding behind the huge rocks where only the small fighter ships could reach them.

His head throbbed and honestly, all he could think about was going to sleep for as many hours as he could before his insomnia kicked up and forced him to the training room until the others woke up. He pulled his helmet off and shook out his hair, feeling it stick to the nape of his neck from all the sweat from the last few hours. Keith sighed and ran a hand through his hair, ruffling it and feeling some blissful airflow get through the thick layers as he made his way to change out of his armor.

Then he felt a long, lanky form drape over his shoulders, armor plates clacking together with a sound like stone on stone. A weight settled over him and he was forced to stop as he turned his head and lazily raised an eyebrow when he saw Lance with his chin resting on his shoulder.

The blue paladin looked how Keith felt, worn out and about ready to fall asleep on his feet. There was a small cut still slightly bleeding above his thin eyebrow, dried blood making it just past his cheek and down to his jaw. He probably got it when he smacked into a small fleet of fighter ships to make sure Keith didn’t get hit. Keith scowled at the memory, raising a hand to rub at the dried blood with his thumb.

“You look like shit,” he mumbled quietly, watching the way Lance’s lips pulled into a slight frown.

“Yeah, I know. A shower and a face wash and my skin should be back to its normal glorious self, though. ‘Tis just a flesh wound, babe.” Lance quietly chuckled at him and leaned forward, straightening up a little to press a kiss to Keith’s temple.

Keith let his scowl lighten a little, though he didn’t smile. He found he missed the grounding weight of Lance leaning on his shoulder. “You shouldn’t have taken that hit for me, Lance. I would’ve dealt with it fine.”

The other boy was quiet for a few moments, wrapping his arms around Keith and pulling him close. They both smelled like sweat and fear, something metallic that always came with prolonged time in their lions. Keith let himself lean into Lance’s chest, breathing in the scent and allowing it to calm his nerves for a moment, assuring him that his boyfriend was still there.

“I don’t like seeing you get hit, that’s all,” Lance murmured. “I know you could have taken it. Besides, Red is a smol bean compared to Blue and Yellow. I can take a few more hits.”

Keith just barely cracked a smile, hiding it in Lance’s neck. “Don’t let Red hear you call her that, she might not let you come visit me when I’m working on her anymore.”

“Nah, I bet she’d be cool with it. I think her and Blue are bros.”

“I’d bet all the lions are close, Lance. I don’t think that it counts.”

Lance hummed, pressing his lips to Keith’s hair to hide his own smile. “Eh, I still think that Red would be fine. She’s a cute smol bean.”

“Hm. She’d definitely not let you in if you called her cute to her face.” Keith felt Lance rub his back with a bit, lazy motion through the skin tight suit under his armor and leaned a bit more heavily on him. Lance leaned on him in return and they stood like that, holding each other up until Pidge came sauntering up.

She gave the two of them a push and they both stumbled, tripping over each other and landing in a heap on the floor. Underneath him, Lance groaned and let his arms flop to the ground. Keith could feel his chest moving under his back as Lance pulled in a long breath.

“Pidge, you are an  _ evil _ gremlin. Why’d you push us?”

Keith grunted his acceptance of their new situation and lazily rolled over, shifting so that he could press his face to Lance’s neck. He didn’t really have the energy to deal with the rest of the team.

Pidge snickered evilly. “Well, you two weren't supposed to  _ fall. _ Just start moving before you started making out or something gross like that. Keep that stuff to the bedroom or something parental that Shiro would say.”

Lance whined, the noise faintly buzzing in his chest. “Pidge! Rude, we were having a  _ moment. _ ”

“A bonding moment that you seem to so easily forget?” Keith mumbled to him, eyes half closed. He was considering his chances if he just fell asleep like this, on Lance. Already his body was finding its way into glorious relaxation, his muscles loosening even as the points of both of their armor pieces dug into his stomach. Keith couldn’t care less, Lance’s response coming a bit fuzzy to him.

“Oh come on, I was on the edge of consciousness, you can’t blame me for that one!”

Keith hummed and closed his eyes, his mumbling becoming a little less coherent. “‘Least you’ve r’membered the rest.”

He felt Lance moving against him, but he had slipped a bit too far and couldn’t find the will to sit up with him. Keith let himself slip into the blissful release of sleep, arms lazily falling around Lance.

 

When Keith came back to the world of the living, he was in his bed under a couple of blankets. He blinked slowly, his head feeling a bit fuzzy and distant. There was a warm patch next to him in the bed, a familiar but different smell tickling his memories and bringing bright, ocean blue eyes to mind.

After a few moments, Keith sat up running a hand through his hair, grimacing at the feeling of sweat still making the strands stick together. Cautiously he got to his feet and stretched his arms above his head. He let out a content groan as his back popped in a couple places before the door open, the solid figure of Shiro standing in the doorway.

“Hey there, firesnap. Feeling better?” Shiro smiled warmly at him, the scar across his face moving with the expression as if it was smiling as well.

Keith grunted a noise that sounded vaguely affirmative as he rolled his head, cracking his neck. After a moment he sighed, fighting back a yawn. “Yeah, I'm all good. Guess I passed out, huh?”

Shiro, the bastard, snickered quietly at him. “You fell asleep on Lance. Nearly scared the shit out of him, he wasn't expecting you to go limp when he sat up. He brought you to your room and I assumed he napped with you for a bit…? He's in the kitchen with Hunk now.”

“Jesus,  _ dad. _ Watch your language.” Keith gave Shiro a teasing smirk as the older man sighed and dropped his face into his hand.

“What did I do to deserve this?”

“I dunno, I think trying to get an angry Pidge to stop swearing in the middle of a battle might have something to do with it.”

“It was once! It was a habit of mine with you from the Garrison!”

Keith snickered and shrugged. “Yeah? Don't spread your little habits to Pidge. She's an angry ball of violence.”

Shiro sighed and flicked Keith’s forehead, just hard enough to sting. “Whatever. Anyway, Lance wanted to make sure that you'd be up in time for dinner, Hunk is making something with those fruits we picked up at the last planet we liberated.”

Keith smiled almost unwillingly at the thought of his boyfriend trying to make sure he'd be alright to eat with the rest of the team. It was the small things that Lance did that showed just how much he cared. Shiro must have noticed the expression because he gave Keith a shit-eating smirk and patted his shoulder.

“You two are going good, right? You guys aren't fighting at all anymore, it's almost unnerving.”

“Yeah, we've been fine. We still kinda mess around sometimes, but it's usually just Lance starting up some sort of competition.” Keith leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “It is kind of unnerving. We haven't blown up at each other in so long, it feels like it's some sort of calm before the storm type of shit… it kind of worries me at times.”

Shiro clapped a hand to his shoulder and pulled him into a one-armed hug. “Well, don't worry about it too much. If you two do have a fight at some point, just remember to give each other some space and talk it out afterward, okay?”

Keith let his head rest against Shiro’s shoulder and nodded, thinking. “I just… I don't want to mess this up, yknow? Sometimes when we're alone Lance seems to turn into a different person, but he's the same still? I don't know if that makes sense or not. He's just so… amazing.”

Shiro chuckled and ruffled Keith’s hair, eliciting a grunt from the shorter boy. He accepted the shove he got and let Keith step away with a teased frown and watched as he ran a hand through his hair to pat it down.

“You two are lovesick fools, you know that? Even while you're dating you keep staring after him.”

Keith groaned and pushed at Shiro with less force behind it this time. “I just don't know what I'm doing. I'm scared that I'll do something wrong, so I'm just… letting Lance lead the way.”

“Have you ever thought that maybe Lance is feeling the same thing? Hunk has talked to me some, apparently Lance goes to him at times trying to get advice about stuff,” Shiro replied with a quiet sigh. “You guys just have to figure things out, preferably together.”

“Yeah… together would be good,” Keith mumbled quietly. “I guess I'll see you at dinner then?”

“Yup. If you want to talk to Lance alone some I can tell him to come down,” Shiro said with a smile. The rest of the team had, for the most part, been pretty respectful about their relationship, making sure that they give them some time alone every once in awhile. Keith appreciated it. 

He nodded and gave a small smile in return. His smile had been coming more and more easily recently, he noticed. Keith wasn't sure what exactly had been making him so… bubbly, but he knew it had to do with Lance.

Shiro nodded back and turned to leave, waving a hand. “Take a shower and change, I'll see you later.”

“See you, Shiro,” Keith called back as the door closed. He sighed and looked down at the flight suit he was still stuck in. His armor was all nicely piled in the corner, but he could feel the sticky sweat still trapped between his skin and the latex-like material of the suit. It didn't take him long to strip down and step into the shower.

He spent a while simply standing under the water, hot to the point it was almost scalding. It was refreshing in its own way, softening his aching muscles and washing away the sweat and grime clinging to him. By the time he washed his thick mop of hair and moved on to scrubbing his body clean, he could hear some quiet movement in the main room. Probably Lance, looking to come talk to him.

Keith washed up and stepped out of the shower, grabbing a towel and drying off. He didn't bring any clothes in with him, so once he partially dried off his hair he stepped out of the bathroom. There he found Lance lounging on his bed, one leg resting up on the sheets and the other slipping off the edge to rest on the floor.

When Lance heard him come in he looked up and sat up quickly enough that he nearly smacked his head on the wall. Keith raised an eyebrow, noting the slight flush working it's way into Lance’s cheeks. It reminded himself that he wasn't exactly wearing his normal attire, and he held onto the front of the towel a bit tighter. 

“Hey there, Keefers. You feeling better after your nap?” Lance asked, his voice slightly rushed but casual. Keith appreciated the effort to not make it awkward.

“Yeah, I'm feeling better. Sorry for, uh… falling asleep on you earlier. Didn't mean to pass out like that. You doing okay?”

“Ah, yeah, I’m doing just fine. The nap earlier did good for me, even if I was sleeping next to your stinky ass,” Lance teased with a laugh.

Keith flushed slightly and rolled his eyes as he walked over to the dresser built into the wall. He pressed a button and a drawer popped out. Of course, he simply grabbed a black shirt and matching pants.

“Yeah, but you love this stinky ass,” Keith teased back, pulling out a pair of boxers. “Now turn around so I can get dressed.”

“But what if I don’t wanna turn around?” Even with his back turned, Keith could almost see the fake pout Lance was sporting.

So, just for the sake of catching his boyfriend off guard, he dropped the towel and smirked as he heard Lance’s alarmed squeak. He scrambled into his underwear and sweatpants before turning around. Keith laughed and stepped forward, wrapping his fingers around Lance’s wondrously delicate-looking wrists and pulling his hands away from his red face.

“Lance, you’re an idiot,” Keith stated with a good amount of dry amusement.

“You! You just dropped the towel in front of me! Dude you were  _ naked _ !” Lance seemed to be slightly panicking, hands flailing weakly in Keith’s grip.

Keith blushed slightly and shrugged. “I mean, yes, but it was totally worth it. It’s not every day when I get to see you flustered.”

Lance gave an incoherent whine and pushed his hands towards Keith’s face, slapping them to his cheeks. Keith let go of his wrists with a small huff and raised an eyebrow.

“You. You are an evil child.” Lance looked at him with a startlingly serious look before pulling Keith’s face closer and planting a kiss on his nose. “I can’t believe you did that just to make me flustered, you asshole.”

Keith scrunched his nose up and rolled his eyes, gently pushing Lance back. “What can I say, you look good in red.”

“Awww, thanks babe,” Lance cooed, hands framing his face. “You’re so sweet. What other colors do you think I would look good in?”

Suddenly feeling a bit awkward, Keith took a half step back and looked away. “I think you’d look good in anything,” he mumbled quietly.

“Huh? What was that?” Lance questioned, tilting his head with a curious look. “Y’gotta speak up some, Keefers.”

Keith scratched at his hair a little. “I… think you’d look good in just about anything.”

Lance took a moment to process that but then gave Keith a genuine, blinding grin and reaching out. He placed his hands on Keith’s waist and pulled him closer fast enough that Keith had to steady himself on the other boy’s shoulders. Then suddenly they were face to face, close enough to feel each other’s breaths on their cheeks.

And Lance smiled and tilted his head up, pressing their lips together in a chaste kiss. Keith quietly sighed into it and moved his hands up to Lance’s cheeks, running his fingers over amazingly smooth skin and the roundness of his cheekbones.

When they broke apart, Lance grinned up at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Hey, mullet man. I think you’ve officially stolen my heart.”

Keith rolled his eyes and left a gentle, almost shy kiss on Lance’s forehead. “You’re an idiot. Let’s go get food.”

“Ah, I am wounded!” Lance exclaimed dramatically, throwing his arms up. “Wait no babe don’t leave me!”

Keith could hear him scramble to his feet as he turned and walked to the door, fighting a traitorous smile. Lance slid up behind him, slipping lanky arms around his waist and pulling him back for just a second. The blue paladin left a gentle kiss behind Keith’s ear before he turned his head to face Lance with a mocking but soft look.

“You gonna let me go eat or what?” Keith finally couldn’t fight the smile and leaned back on Lance, hands over the ones on his belly.

Lance grinned and rubbed his nose on Keith’s with a childishly giddy noise. “Yeah, yeah. Just wanted to let you know how beautiful you are, mullet man.”

Keith snorted and leaned so he was again standing on his own. “You’re so sappy, jeez… cmon, let’s go get dinner.”

Lance’s grin only grew wider as he intertwined their fingers and opened the door with a press of a button. “Yeah, let’s go.”


	3. Honey come put your lips on mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: look at the tags! They've changed! It's not too much, just a warning. Cause this life isn't easy on the paladins :'D

Lance laid on his side, watching his boyfriend sleep after a long day of training. Keith had been taking more hits than he usually did, both in the training room and in his lion. He had been tired and distracted, so at the end of the day Lance offered to let him sleep in his bed.

It was just one of the relatively small but intimate things that the two of them had started when they finally got together. Keith still often slept in his own bed, the introvert of the two having to have some time to himself to recharge, but when he was having trouble getting to sleep he would come to Lance. And of course Lance always willingly accepted him, no matter the time of night.

Lance thought he was a pretty good boyfriend, all in all. He had his flaws just like anyone, but he did his best to make Keith comfortable with him and make the both of them happy. It was just so easy to think that he wasn't when Keith still kept his distance at times. Lance did his best to keep him from training excessively, pulling him away talk or cuddle or braid his hair. He knew Keith got annoyed by the distractions, and Lance just prayed that he wasn't too pushy about it. 

He cared so damn much about Keith.  _ So _ much. So much that it sometimes hurt just thinking about, the ache in his chest when he runs long fingers through that thick black hair and moves it out the way of that startlingly beautiful face. It aches like nothing he's felt, and it scares him to know that Keith has such power over him, but Lance wouldn't have it any other way. The way they bicker about the smallest things and constantly challenge each other, it's  _ theirs _ .

And, Lance thought as he leaned forward to press a kiss to his boyfriend's forehead, it always would be their little way of showing how much they cared. Annoying each other to the ends of the universe to make sure they both took care of themselves.

Keith just barely stirred as Lance pulled him closer underneath the covers, curling up and tucking his face underneath Lance’s chin. Lance ran his fingers through his dark hair a few times, just barely tugging at the strands as his fingers caught on small knots. He tucked his face into Keith’s hair, breathing in the scent of soap and something dark that was overwhelmingly  _ Keith _ .

His heart clenched as he closed his eyes. This was everything he wanted and more, the universe itself wouldn't be enough to replace the hole in his heart if Keith disappeared.

The room lit up with red and Lance felt his heart clench more, painful from a wave of sadness and fear that he always felt when the moment was broken. The wailing of the alarm went off and Keith jerked awake in his arms. For just a moment, they were both still. Praying for the flashing red light to be a dream, the alarm to shut off and Allura's voice to tear through the castle calling them to train the next morning.

But it wasn't a training drill. Keith rolled out of bed and was running to the door the moment his feet hit the floor, not bothering with a shirt. Lance was just a couple steps behind as they ran to get their paladin suits.

Shoving still half-asleep limbs into the black rubber-like flight suits, donning the chitinous armor. Lance barely had enough time to snag Keith by the arm, slowing him down just enough to kiss his cheek before he put his helmet on.

“Stay safe,  _ mi amor _ .”

Keith gave him a serious look and nodded before crushing their lips together for a split second. They didn't take chances; they had no time for awkwardness or hesitation when they went into battle. Every fight could be their last, so they took their extra moments to pray that nothing would happen in this one.

They parted ways, heading to their separate hangars. Lance gripped Blue's controls tightly as he shot out of the castle and into the oncoming Galra fleet. There were so many of them, surrounding the castle on all sides; he knew they would probably have to form Voltron to get rid of them all. 

Lance felt his mind cut out distractions, all his senses dedicated to keeping him and his teammates alive. The multicolored blips on his radar darted around him, muffled explosions interfering with his flight. He fired near constantly, cutting through the small Galra ships with ease as he watched Keith and Hunk crash through a line of them, Keith cutting weak spots into the ships for Hunk to smack into.

Pidge and strayed to the edge of the battle, attracting ships and zooming around to lead them straight to Shiro, who cut them down easily. Lance froze a group of ships to find Keith beside him with his fire, blasting through them. Lance smiled to himself. Fire and ice, as always. Keith didn't pause leading Lance through the ships, the two of them watching each other's backs. It was second nature by then, making sure they kept the other out of trouble.

Still, the waves of Galra didn't stop. They fluctuated, thinning out at times and becoming a writhing, pulsing mass of ships at others. The team kept moving, Lance finding Hunk at his side one second, only to find him replaced with Pidge the next. It wasn't long before Shiro called for Voltron, the team gathering only to find squadrons of Galra ships forcing them apart.

Lance felt a flutter of fear in his chest, a feeling he quickly squashed down. He normally didn't feel afraid in battles anymore, letting his instincts lead him. But when the yellow lion disappeared for a long second behind a wall of ships, it swelled up in his throat and threatened to strangle him.

He glanced around, destroying a grouping of ships, seeing on of the large glare battleships charging its ion cannon, aiming for the castle. Lance felt his fear solidify into something like anger and he turned Blue towards the cannon without hesitation. Diving forward, he slammed his lion into the end of the cannon, bending the thick metal plates enough to keep it from firing.

Then he heard Hunk shout his name at the same time he saw the barrel of the cannon start to glow purple, and Lance started to pull away from it. It took him just a second, Blue's shoulder having been caught against the cannon, and he started flying away when his world went white.

~~~

Keith heard Hunk’s shout and turned, but his sight was blocked by a squad of Galra fighters. He cut his way through them just in time to be blinded by a flash of white. Red was rocked by the explosion that came a moment after, when he was blinking the sun spots out of his eyes.

“Lance! Lance, are you okay?!” Hunk sounded desperate, and it made Keith stomach drop hard. With a growl, he spun in a tight circle with his lasers going and gave himself some room before diving towards the source of the explosion.

His heart clenched and Keith felt his throat close as he saw glints of blue metal spiralling off into space. There was a huge space cleared where one of the Galra ships had been, and for a moment everything was still.

The blue lion floated just on the edge of the explosion, her side torn open and sparking as she almost gently turned in the void of space. Her eyes were dark, the background sound of static signalling that her comms were gone. Lance couldn't answer, even if he was alive.

Lance.  _ Lance. _ The bright blue eyes, the charming smile that Keith had felt under his lips time and time again. Something hot and burning ignited in his belly and he was yelling before he knew it, his lion shooting forward towards Blue. Hunk joined him after just a beat, lagging behind but making sure that Keith didn't take too many hits.

Red clamped her jaws around Blue's tail and Keith guided her carefully, dragging the bigger lion back towards the castle. After a moment Keith let Red go on autopilot as he focused on using her weapon systems to clear a path. Shiro and Pidge joined in after a moment, acting as an escort.

When they got close enough, a hole opened up in the castle's particle barrier and Keith slipped through with Blue in tow, letting Red get them back into her hangar. He slipped out of his seat and climbed out of the emergency hatch, using his jetpack to make his way over to Blue. It didn't matter if they would be landing in a few moments or not - he had to get to Lance,  _ now _ .

His comms crackled to life once more, Shiro’s voice coming through first.

“Princess, we can clear a path through the Galra, we need a wormhole out of here.”

“Keith, is Lance okay? Please say he's okay.” Hunk sounded terrified, his voice wavering.

Keith didn't answer, forcefully prying Blue's hatch open and running through. Red lights were flashing and there were sparks flying out of exposed wires running along the walls. He stumbled slightly as they landed, but continued on until he got to the pilot's seat. Keith could see Lance’s form, slumped forward in the seat with his head bowed. His heart froze and he let out a sound almost like a sob as he reached forward and touched the white and blue armor.

Lance didn't respond as Keith pulled the chair backwards in its track to make more room for him to inspect the damage with a grunt of effort. The red paladin knelt in front of Lance, pulling his helmet off and reaching a hand up to feel the smooth, tan skin. It was still warm, and as Keith moved his fingertips down to Lance’s neck he could feel the slight beat of his pulse.

He breathed out a sigh of relief. “He's alive. Looks pretty beat up though. Coran, we're going to need a pod for him.” He narrowed his eyes at the bruises decorating Lance’s face, a pretty nasty looking cut on his lip. It looked like one of his hands had gotten burned in the explosion, the skin red and blistering and raw.

Keith pulled his own helmet off and leaned forward, gently pressing a kiss to Lance’s forehead. “You'll be fine, blue eyes,” he murmured quietly. He wasn't sure if it was a reassurance to himself or Lance. 


	4. Time has numbered my days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith was scared of many things, he had found, especially when it came to Lance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A liiiittle later than promised, but I have delivered! The next chapter is already in progress... it might be a bit longer than these ones, we'll see how it goes.

Keith sat outside Lance’s healing pod, head in his arms as he leaned over his knees. Even knowing that he would be fine, Keith still felt afraid of leaving the room, like the moment he stepped out something would go wrong. He was scared of many things, he had found, especially when it came to Lance. 

He was scared of getting too close and letting Lance see how dark his mind got at his worst. He was scared of making Lance think that he didn't care about him and making those blue eyes turn to someone else. He was scared of losing the things he had with Lance.

In the past, Keith had gone through a few different relationships. They all seemed so different from the one he had with Lance, they were always so distant and cold. He tried his best, but nothing ever worked out. But Shiro disappeared and he was on his own, left alone in the desert with only his own wits and a lonely voice echoing in the back of his head, craving for the attention of another person.

Then Shiro had come back and Lance had landed them all the most important job in the universe. Literally. At first, he was always annoyed by the loud, flirtatious paladin. They fought and bickered constantly and danced around each other in almost every intimate moment they found themselves in. But Keith felt a pull that kept him coming back to Lance, and eventually the fighting died down. A few late nights into their friendship and Keith remembers vividly how Lance had hugged him, not caring about how stiff he was as Keith tried to take his mind off of a home he couldn't even begin to imagine himself in.

Then at some point, they just clicked. Lance had come to Keith late at night and sat him down on his bed, taking Keith’s hands in his own. He told Keith about his family once more, the names of which Keith still has yet to memorize, and told Keith how he had fallen for someone.

Keith hadn't recognized it then, but hearing him talk so warmly about this unfamiliar someone had made his chest ache with jealousy. But then Lance leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Keith’s forehead and pulled him close, into a hug to squeeze him tight. Keith was so surprised that he had gone limp, his head resting against Lance’s shoulder.

The person Lance described… wasn't him. He wasn't soft and unexpectedly kind to strangers, he just spaced out at random moments and was awkward with new people. Lance had him all wrong, but sometimes Keith let himself believe that he could be everything Lance wanted. It made Keith feel selfish afterwards, basking in the attention the blue paladin gave him.

“Keith, stop thinking so hard, you'll get a migraine.”

Pidge's voice startled him and he sat up quickly, looking towards the door.

“What?”

“Look, I know that Lance is probably better at reading your facial expressions, but we've been a team long enough that I've gotten the hang of it as well.” She walked over and sat beside Keith, tucking her hands into her lap. “You're doubting yourself, right?”

Keith blinked slowly. “I… don't know? I'm just thinking about. Stuff.”

“Dude, you look like a constipated cat trying to figure out who shat in its food.” Pidge snickered but sobered up quickly. “But seriously. You are a great person, Keith. I want you to be happy… I want both of you to be.”

Keith let out a long sigh, gathering his thoughts. “I think that's the problem. I'm not the person Lance thinks I am. Sometimes he mentions what he thinks about me, and it's always just kind of off from what's true.”

Pidge snorted. “Well, that could be one of two things. Either Lance is just dumb and sugarcoats everything about you, which is possible cause cmon, remember Nyma?” She paused for a moment, turning towards Keith with a half-serious look, her eyes sharp but a small smirk curving her lips.  _ "Or, _ your self image is just very off from what you're actually like. And, having had sat through a few of Lance’s rants about you in the last few months, I can tell you which one of you is more accurate.”

Keith felt his cheeks go slightly pink and he looked away, up to where Lance stood in the healing pod. His face was peaceful and the healing pod suit hugged his broad shoulders and slim hips, showing off some of his best physical features. The bruises and cuts on his face were already getting better just a few hours after the battle, the burn on his hand and arm starting to settle back into his normal skin tone.

Pidge smiled and leaned over, wrapping her arms around Keith’s neck and squeezing him in a hug. Keith went stiff for a moment before his arms snaked around the girl's waist and pulled her closer with a small smile. It wasn't often that the green paladin was this affectionate, so Keith would be better off accepting the offering.

“Thanks, Pidge,” he mumbled into her shoulder before she let go.

“No problem, Keith.” She leaned back and gave him a crooked grin. “Now, Shiro wanted you to come out and actually eat and rest and stuff, but if you don't feel up to it quite yet I can give him an excuse.”

Keith gave her a tiny smile and shook his head. “I think I'll be out in a few minutes. Just, yknow…” He shrugged helplessly.

Pidge seemed to understand as she nodded. “Yeah, okay. Just don't take too long or you might get Shiro in here giving you a dad lecture.”

Keith snorted and nodded. “Oh yeah, I know. Thanks Pidge.”

“No problem, my dude.” She waved at him as she stood up and walked back out the door, leaving him with only the faint buzzing of the healing pod behind him.

Keith looked up at Lance again for a few long moments, mulling over the conversation in his head. He knew that Lance would probably talk about him, it was in the blue paladin's nature. But it still stunned Keith that he mattered so much to Lance, that he would actively seek out their teammates to tell them what he thought about his boyfriend. It made something heavy settle in his stomach, a lingering doubt that made Keith’s throat close up.

Did he not support Lance enough? Did he not let Lance know how amazing he was often enough? Was he good enough for Lance? Well, in a short answer, no. No one would ever be good enough to deserve Lance, not even with how highly he would appraise them. They could be the best pilot in the universe and be the best looking person ever, but no one could compare to Lance and his heart of gold. 

But how was Keith supposed to say all that? Words had never been Keith’s strong suit. He was awkward and hesitant, better with his sword than he was with his words. But if it made Lance feel better in their relationship… 

They had a long talk to get through, once Lance was out of the pod, and Keith could only hope to get through it the way he wanted. He rested his forehead against the cool not-glass material of the healing pod and sighed. He wanted those blue eyes to open again, hear his boisterous laughter echoing around the halls.

“Cmon Lance… hurry.”

He paused for just a moment before turning away and walking out, intent on eating and taking a nap before returning


	5. I'll go along with everything you say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Before battles they didn't hesitate to say sincere parting words, but they never had time to talk between the battle and the aftermath, when their bodies were too tired to do anything but lie down and rest. This, with Keith rested and the halls around them quiet and dark, was different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's currently like 3 in the morning and I busted this out so please forgive any typos... I'm tired. But I hope you all enjoy! :'D

Of course, Keith’s plan to get back to Lance as soon as he could didn't go through. The rest of the team were all tiredly gathered in the kitchen, Hunk and Pidge sitting with their heads together as they worked on something. Shiro was sitting beside Allura, his head leaned back against the headrest of his seat, looking like he was ready to pass out. Coran was quietly talking with Allura, but that conversation cut off as he came in and the Alteans turned to look at him.

Allura stood up and walked over to Keith, taking his hands in hers as she stared at him. “Are you doing alright? You seem tired.”

Keith slowly nodded. “Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit worried.”

She smiled and nodded, giving his hands a light squeeze. “I understand. Lance will be fine, he should be out by the end of the day. He should even be free of any scarring, thanks to how quickly you got him to the castle.”

Keith smiled slightly and nodded, staring at their hands. “That-that's good.”

Hunk laughed a bit and nodded. “Yeah. Man, can you imagine how much bitching Lance would go through if he got a scar on his face or something?”

Keith’s smiled widened marginally. “There would be a lot of bitching. Until he decided that it looked cool.”

Pidge snorted. “Of course, this is Lance we're talking about. He'd try to make it his new look, ‘rough bounty hunter’ or something.”

Shiro chuckled and leaned his head in his hand, listening to the other three paladins. Keith laughed quietly and looked back to Allura, nodding a reassurance and giving her a small smile. She smiled back and squeezed his fingers once more before dropping his hands.

Hunk laughed and shook his head. “No, no, he'd totally go for the more ‘rugged hero’ look, dude.”

“Okay, but can you imagine him pulling an Allura? The pod opens, shwooo… and Lance, as he's falling forward into Keith’s arms, going ‘not the scars’.” Pidge cackled and leaned back in her chair.

Hunk shook his head. “Okay, I can see Lance doing that, but that is  _ not _ what the healing pods sound like.”

“But it totally is!”

“Nuh uh,” Hunk shook his hands in front of his face. “It's more like a  _ pwwwwwuv _ sort of sound.”

Pidge scoffed. “Uh, no it isn't. It's totally a shwooo.”

Shiro chuckled quietly. “It's more like a  _ shooooop. _ Gotta get that little pop at the end.”

Keith wandered over and got some food goo, listening to the noise debate with one ear. He felt the now familiar glow in his stomach, the innocent happiness that came with having a family. He sat down next to Shiro, across from Pidge, who was arguing for her cause vehemently now.

Keith smiled to himself, watching the group get more raucous, tiredness forgotten in the moment. Shiro grinned, leaning over the table with his palms flat on the white surface, and Pidge leaned closer as well as she glared up at Shiro. Then they were all silent for a moment, staring at each other, before they all burst out laughing. It was contagious, and even with the swirling doubt in his mind Keith found himself laughing as well.

Shiro fell back into his seat, holding his stomach as he laughed. Pidge curled up in hers, burying her face in her knees as Hunk simply flopped back in his.

They all laughed for a while before the giddiness slipped away, leaving them in a nice state of fading euphoria. Keith ate the last of his goo and sat back, hands linked over his belly as he relaxed. He found that he was still tired, the hour or two of sleep he had gotten not enough to keep him going after a hard battle. He saw the weariness setting in on the other's faces too, and was about to stand up and take a nap when Hunk spoke up.

“So, would anybody be up for a movie?” The unspoken ‘I don't want to be alone’ was clear to all of them, and Pidge nodded. 

“Yeah, I'm up for that. I got Pirates of the Caribbean on my laptop, if anybody wants to watch it.”

Hunk sat up at that. “Pidge! You've had Earth movies on your laptop this whole time and you didn't tell anyone?!”

“Well, yeah, but I'm pretty sure we all found the Altean ones interesting enough so…” She shrugged innocently, though the twitch of her lips betrayed her smirk.

Hunk made a noise akin to a dying whale and slid down in his seat. “Pidge, those Altean movies are like watching the soap operas my mom used to put on while she would work on stuff.”

“I mean, you seemed to get pretty into them Hunk,” Shiro replied with a straight face.

Hunk huffed. “I know, because it's a habit! My mom would never let me change the channel so I would just try to invest myself in the story of whatever was on!”

Pidge snickered. “I don't see the problem, then.”

Hunk groaned and nearly slid to the floor. “Whatever. What Pirates movie do you have?”

At that, Pidge gave a wide grin. “All of them. All five movies.”

With a startled gasp, Hunk sat up in his seat and stared at Pidge. “What?!” He nearly screeched, reaching Lance levels of indignation. “We could have been having Pirates of the Caribbean movie marathons and you never told us this?!”

“Well, yes. We haven't really had time for a movie marathon.”

Shiro chuckled as Hunk’s jaw dropped and he sputtered in disbelief. “Well, let's save the marathon for another time. I think Lance would be pretty disappointed if he missed out on that. Do you have any other movies, Pidge?”

Pidge nodded thoughtfully, ticking off movies on her hands. “Tangled, the first Avengers, Avatar - the blue people one, not the shitty movie remake of a show that literally defined my childhood,” Hunk nodded sagely at that. “Uhhh… I have Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas. Another one that defined my childhood…”

She trailed off at the confused look on Shiro and Hunk’s faces. Keith was mostly lost in all the movie things, having been out of the loop for the majority of his life. Pidge leaned forward, her eyes wide as she planted her hands on the edge of the table.

“Oh my god,” she breathed. “Have you never seen Sinbad?”

Hunk shrugged. “Outside of the anime, no.”

Pidge made a shrill, disbelieving noise and stood up, shoving her chair back. “We are watching this, right the fuck now, oh my god. “

Shiro slowly stood up as she walked away, a dumbfounded look on his face. “Uh… huh. Guess we're watching that, then.”

Hunk nodded and got to his feet as well. “Guess so. Cmon Keith, you gonna join us?”

Keith opened his mouth to reply, but Shiro beat him to it. “Yeah, he is. It'll be good for us all to relax together.” Shiro gave him a reassuring smile and waved a hand, beckoning him along.

With a shrug, Keith followed behind Hunk and Shiro as they wandered to the room Pidge had found a while back. It had wall-to-wall cushions set into the floor and pillows stacked around the edge of the room, with a huge projector screen along the highest of the walls. Pidge was already fiddling with her laptop, plugging strange wires into it until the desktop popped up onto the big screen. Then she pulled up the movie and threw herself backwards into a pile of pillows as it loaded up, waiting.

Hunk and Shiro sat down on either side of Pidge. Close but not enough to smother. Then Shiro shifted a bit and patted the space next to him, waving Keith closer.

Keith sat down and sighed, reclining on the soft pillows as the movie started. He watched for a while, but soon started to feel his eyes starting to close. It was frustrating, opening his eyes wide only to have them slide closed a minute or two after he stopped paying attention, but he couldn't stop it. The group had seemed to squish together naturally as the movie progressed, making him feel comfortable and warm. Pidge's head rolled onto his chest and Shiro’s body was a warm presence by his side. Hunk stretched out, his hand barely brushing Keith’s shoulder, letting him know he was there. There was that specific hole where Lance was not, but he was reassured by the promise of his boyfriend being out of the pod soon.

Keith finally let his eyes close, his exhausted body cradled by the pillows in a way that made his descent to unconsciousness faster than it had been in a while.

 

~~~

 

There was a quiet wuffle from Keith as he fell asleep, head leaning back on the stack of pillows he was on. Shiro noticed it and slightly smiled as Sinbad and his heroine swung in through the portal to the Realm of Chaos. Pidge was still nestled up beside Keith, her head resting on her chest as she watched with wide eyes.

Hunk was starting to fall asleep as well, yawning every so often and trying to stifle the noise with a hand. Even Shiro was starting to feel it, as he glanced at the time displayed on Pidge's laptop. 7:48. Almost eight in the morning, when they had been woken up a little less than nine hours ago by the alarms going off. The movie became background noise as they all laid in silence. 

Pidge, surprisingly, was the next one to fall asleep. Her legs curled up and she became a ball at Keith’s side, her glasses askew on her nose. Shiro was the next to go, taking one last deep breath before relaxing and closing his eyes. Then all there was left was Hunk, who looked at the rest of his team and smiled. The yellow paladin carefully plucked Pidge's glasses off her face and turned the movie off, closing her laptop and placing her glasses on top of it. He crept out of the room and fetched a couple of blankets, returning and throwing the bigger one over the three other paladins.

Then he laid down and wrapped himself in how own blanket, grabbing a pillow and falling asleep in the spot he had claimed as his own, where he could see the rest of his friends resting peacefully. And with that, the last paladin fell asleep.

 

~~~

 

Keith woke up slowly to the sound of people talking. He found that strange, he usually slept light enough that he would wake up at any hint of a new noise. He felt a warm thing by his side shifting and he carefully cracked his eye open. The room was dark, but he could see that he had fallen asleep in the movie room. The moving thing beside him was Pidge, who sat up and started grumbling, trying to pat down her mess of bedhead with little success.

“Should we wake him up? He's been really tired recently.” Hunk’s voice was still hushed and worried.

“Yeah. He'll want to be there when Lance gets out, he can sleep more afterwards if he needs to.” Shiro replied just as quietly and Keith slowly shifted with a sigh.

Pidge snorted, speaking at a normal volume. “Sleeping Beauty is up already.”

Keith made a small sound and slowly sat up, his back popping. “Wouldn't Lance be Sleeping Beauty, though? He's always going on about his regiment.”

“Good point,” she replied before looking up at Shiro and Hunk with a grumpy expression. “You guys are all too warm. You made me fall asleep.”

Shiro chuckled and turned to the door with a wave. “Sorry, Pidge. But come on, Lance is going to be getting out in about ten minutes.”

Keith rubbed his eyes and carefully got to his feet as Shiro and Hunk went out, walking over to where he had taken off his boots. He pulled them on and wandered into the hall, waking up a bit more in the normal castle chill as he started to walk towards the healing chamber.

Pidge caught up to him after just a few seconds and the two walked along in a comfortable silence, immersed in their own thoughts. In the final hall leading to the healing chamber, Pidge finally spoke up.

“So you're not going to be weird, right?”

Keith blinked and slowed down a bit, staring at her. “Huh?”

“You're not going to be weird with Lance just because you've been over thinking stuff? Like, I get it, you're nervous and you don't really know how to relationship. I don't know how to either, which is why I am staying waaaay away from that stuff. But just, you know, don't make it weird between you two.”

For a few seconds, Keith was dumbfounded, trying to find the meaning behind Pidge's awkward pep talk. Then it sunk in and he smiled, ruffling her hair as he continued on down the hall.

“Yeah, I'll try my best Pidge.”

She huffed but didn't say anything, following him into the healing chamber. The rest of the castle's inhabitants were gathered already, standing in front of Lance’s pod. Hunk hovered anxiously, staring at his friend behind the blue surface of the pod.

“Are you sure he'll be alright? I don't know, it looks like there might be a bruise on his forehead still, should that still be there?”

Coran was doing his best to keep Hunk calm, before shooing him a couple steps away with a firm ‘yes, he's fine, Hunk!’ Allura watched with a small smile, still a bit strained. Shiro had much the same expression, the two leaders happy see Lance come back to the team but knowing this wouldn't be the last time they would have to wait for a teammate in a pod.

“How long until he gets out?” Keith asked no one in particular, stepping up to take a look at Lance himself. The bruises on his face had completely faded, the burn on his hand healed back to its previous perfection.

“He'll be out in about thirty more ticks, so be ready,” Coran informed him, flashing a smile. “Make sure he gets enough rest, he'll be tired after his time in a pod.”

Keith nodded and stared at the pod, thinking. He had to thank Pidge for the random pep talk, allowing him to at least keep his head on straight. Nothing between him and Lance had changed while he was in the pod, so he shouldn’t act any different. At least, not too different. Keith took a deep breath as Coran started counting down under his breath, the rest of the team falling silent as they waited.

When the pod walls started to disappear, Lance’s eyes cracked open marginally. Keith felt his lips stretch into a small smile as the sight of those crystal blue irises, staring back at him. Lance stepped out and stumbled into Keith, who wrapped his arms around the lanky boy before he could fall.

“It’s really bright in here,” Lance grumbled into Keith’s shoulder, raising his arms to pull them closer together. “What happened?”

Hunk came up and hugged the two of them tightly, lifting Keith an inch off the floor. “You blocked off the cannon but it was too far along in its firing sequence. It exploded and wiped out a huge chunk of the fleet. You’re lucky that you got away with as little damage as you did.”

Lance groaned at the tight grip but smiled as Hunk placed them back down. “Glad I did a number on them, at least. Show those suckers who’s boss.”

Keith frowned and shook his head. “Lance, you almost died. Me and Red had to drag you and Blue back to the ship.”

“Heh. I think I have shown, multiple times now, that it takes a bit more than an explosion and a bunch of Galra to beat me, babe.” Lance kissed Keith’s forehead, eyes closed. “But I could seriously go without time in the pod, it always makes me feel all woozy.”

Keith rolled his eyes and patted his boyfriend’s back. “Well, let everybody check up on you and we can head back to your room and get you settled down for the night.”

Pidge came up and barrelled into Lance, hugging him fiercely once she got her chance. Then she drew back and punched him in the stomach. “That’s for scaring the shit out of me, you dickwad. The hell were you thinking?”

Lance coughed and wheezed as he was hit, but it didn’t last long. Keith frowned at Pidge, but she completely ignored him.

“Hey now, be delicate. I’d rather not get back into the pod because of broken ribs or something. And besides, if I didn’t take care of the cannon, it would’ve blasted the castle. No castle, no nice warm bed, and no space princess and crazy space uncle.”

Pidge scowled at him but let up as Shiro stepped in and wrapped Lance in a hug. It was gentle but strong, everything Shiro seemed to have down on pat.

“I’m glad you made it out of there alive, Lance. But seriously, the explosions gotta stop with you, or it’ll catch up and bite you in the ass eventually.” Shiro held Lance away from himself as he spoke, strong hands on Lance’s shoulders.

Pidge snickered. “Language.”

Shiro’s face fell from parental concern to straight out tiredness. He looked like he needed to sleep for at least the next ten years, if at all possible. They all laughed at the abrupt change before Keith gently patted Lance’s shoulder.

“I think we should be going. You look dead on your feet, Lance.”

“Well, yeah, the healing pod will do that to you. Makes ya very sleepy,” Lance answered with a yawn.

Keith smiled. “I thought it made you feel woozy.”

“Mmm… both. Sleepy and woozy. Swoozy, I guess.” Lance stopped, his eyebrows drawing together as he stared at the opposite wall intently. “Yeah, I think I need some sleep. My mouth is going to start running soon, and I don’t think everybody wants to hear my inner monologue about Keith’s hair.”

The group groaned collectively, even Keith. They all had spent far too much time hearing something about Keith’s hair, whether it was insults or rants or even the odd compliment.

“Yeah, go, you two. Sleep well and all that.” Pidge waved the two out of the room, going as far as to push Keith to go faster before closing the door behind them.

The halls were quiet as Lance and Keith shuffled their way to the blue paladin’s room. Keith was silent, lost in his own head and his own thoughts. He didn’t even notice the way Lance stared at him with a soft smile until he felt the soft press of lips on his cheek and looked over at the man walking beside him.

“What you thinking about?” Lance’s voice was soft and tired, but curious nonetheless as he smiled at Keith.

For a moment, he was silent, weighing his words. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out for a split second and he tried again. “I guess… just how much I love you.”

Even if they hadn't really said that they loved each other outright yet, Keith didn't feel apprehensive about his words. They teased each other constantly, small jabs and shoves as they danced around deeper talks about the future. Before battles they didn't hesitate to say sincere parting words, but they never had time to talk between the battle and the aftermath, when their bodies were too tired to do anything but lie down and rest. This, with Keith rested and the halls around them quiet and dark, was different. Words said here couldn't be forgotten after they slept.

Lance hummed quietly as they slowed to a stop in the hall, an unconscious decision on both of their parts. He let his arms drop around Keith, who welcomed the chill that settled with them. Their foreheads rested against each other and Lance kept his eyes closed for a while. Then his arms slid away so that he could take Keith’s hands in his, intertwining their fingers for a second. He slid his hands away before squeezing Keith’s, his thumb rubbing gentle but firm circles on his palms.

They stood there for a long time, Keith watching Lance as the blue paladin stared at their hands, switching positions every few seconds. It was restless but quiet, and the silence of the ship made it feel like a dream when Lance finally looked up at Keith with a soft smile.

“I love you too, Keith.”

The words were quietly whispered, but they held so much emotion it made Keith’s heart fill to bursting. He leaned forward and pressed his smile to Lance’s, kissing him softly. It took only a moment for it to turn heated, the quick push and pull of the rhythm that had become so familiar to both of them. Teeth clacked together and Keith chuckled quietly before drawing back with a smile.

“Cmon, you need sleep. We can continue this later.”

Lance hummed and pressed a kiss to the corner of Keith’s eye, holding his hands between them. “Yeah, yeah. Let's go.”

Keith led Lance by the hand the rest of the way, opening and shutting the door behind them. Lance shuffled into the bathroom and Keith pulled out the blue pajamas Lance wore to bed most days, handing the clothes to him through the door.

Lance came out and instantly grabbed onto Keith, hugging him tightly and a happy sound. He laughed quietly and hugged Lance in return, awkwardly waddling them over to the bed before carefully pushing Lance down to sit. Keith ended up mostly in Lance’s lap, but he shifted so that the two could lay together like they usually did. 

Keith kicked off his boots and pants before rolling over to the side of the bed by the wall and wriggling under the covers. He pulled his shirt off as well and Lance joined him under the covers. He felt Lance’s cold hands on his back, pulling him closer, and be sighed with the nice contrast of Lance’s cold hands on his warm back. 

It didn't take long for Lance to fall asleep with his head shoved into the crook of Keith’s neck, their legs intertwined. Keith had already slept the day away, and he knew all of their sleep schedules would be messed up for a while, but he still felt oddly lethargic. It could be all the late nights he kept having, or maybe it was the stress of the knowledge that he got so close to losing Lance, but his eyelids felt heavy.

He would get around to telling Lance everything. Sometime in the morning or during a quiet moment while they were training. But for now he closed his eyes to sleep, Lance's scent around him and his body pleasantly warm. 

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to talk to me on tumblr! I'm Chainlocker ;3


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